[Quote No.60947] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "When we learn to appreciate life [and be grateful] to its fullest, we will be oblivious to many of its painful aspects. We will definitely try to deal with them effectively, but will not feel emotional suffering, since the joy of being alive will outweigh anything negative that might occur. Imagine a person who just now won a large sum of money in a lottery. He will feel such joy that if he accidentally broke a glass cup, he would feel no suffering whatsoever because of that loss. The joy of being alive can be much greater than the joy of winning millions of dollars. A person able to master this attitude, which takes time and effort, will not have psychosomatic difficulties, since he will not view anything that happens to him as negative." - Rabbi Chaim ShmuelevitzThe late head of Mirrer Yeshiva in Jerusalem as quoted in Rabbi Zelig Pliskin's book, 'Gateway to Happiness', p.254.Author's Info on Wikipedia - Author on ebay - Author on Amazon - More Quotes by this AuthorStart Searching Amazon for GiftsSend as Free eCard with optional Google Image

[Quote No.61209] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "[A story - with a message about being careful what you compare your present experiences with, because if you compare them with something better you will feel like your situation is deteriorating and so will feel bad and bitter, where as if you compare them with something worse you feel like your situation is improving and so you will feel good and grateful:] - 'Heaven and Hell'
There's another story that you may have read that has to do with what we call heaven and hell, life and death, good and bad. It's a story about how those things don't really exist except as a creation of our own minds. It goes like this: A big burly samurai comes to the wise man and says, 'Tell me the nature of heaven and hell.' And the roshi [which is an honorific title used for a highly venerated senior teacher in Zen Buddhism] looks him in the face and says: 'Why should I tell a scruffy, disgusting, miserable slob like you?' The samurai starts to get purple in the face, his hair starts to stand up, but the roshi won't stop, he keeps saying, 'A miserable worm like you, do you think I should tell you anything?' Consumed by rage, the samurai draws his sword, and he's just about to cut off the head of the roshi. Then the roshi says, 'That's hell.' The samurai, who is in fact a sensitive person, instantly gets it, that he just created his own hell; he was deep in hell. It was black and hot, filled with hatred, self-protection, anger, and resentment, so much so that he was going to kill this man. Tears fill his eyes and he starts to cry and he puts his palms together and the roshi says, 'That's heaven.'" - Pema Chodron American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa. From her book, 'Awakening Loving Kindness'. The story is also found in her book, 'The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness'.
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[Quote No.61309] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "You create your habits and your habits create you. By speaking words of gratitude regularly, you are developing the habit of speaking words of gratitude. The more you keep up this habit, the easier it becomes to say even more words of gratitude. As you continue to speak words of gratitude, thoughts of gratitude are integrated into your mind and you will spontaneously think and speak this way.
Catch yourself whenever what you say is an expression of a lack of gratitude. Instead of being upset with yourself for still lacking as much gratitude as you would wish, be grateful that you are becoming more aware of your lapses. This awareness will enable you to be more careful from now on.
It would be a good idea, to resolve that whenever you hear yourself saying something that is ungrateful, you immediately make five statements of gratitude." - Rabbi Zelig PliskinQuote from his book, 'THANK YOU! Gratitude: Formulas, Stories, and Insights'.Author's Info on Wikipedia - Author on ebay - Author on Amazon - More Quotes by this AuthorStart Searching Amazon for GiftsSend as Free eCard with optional Google Image

[Quote No.61584] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "Comparisons. Your mind makes them all the time. And whether you feel [gratitude] contentment or dissatisfaction largely depends on what you are comparing your life to.
The problem is, we live in a culture where advertisers are constantly giving us perfect images to compare ourselves with: people with perfect homes and cars and spouses and children, and they give us the illusion that this perfection is somehow possible.
The advertisers are taking advantage of the way our minds work naturally. You automatically and naturally compare yourself and your life to others and with your own ideals and aspirations.
Although the process of comparison happens without your active effort, you can assume control of it. Like your own breathing, it happens on its own, but you can make it do what you want at any time. All you have to do is pay attention to it. Why would you want to bother? Because, as Robin Lloyd puts it after looking at the research:
'People who positively evaluate their well-being on average have stronger immune systems, are better citizens at work, earn more income, have better marriages, are more sociable, and cope better with difficulties.'
Okay, so it makes a difference to feel some contentment. And luckily, it can be accomplished pretty easily. It won't last for a long time, but neither does sleeping or exercising. The fact that the effect doesn't last is no reason to dismiss it. If you're willing to put a little effort out, you can feel more satisfied with your life.
Here's what to do: When you feel discontented, ask yourself What could be worse? And really try to think of something. You can always think of something, and it is usually pretty easy [e'g' 'I'm glad it is not...', I'm glad I'm not...', etc].
If you feel unhappy because you haven't advanced in your job as fast as you'd hoped, for example, imagine how you'd feel if you lived in a country or a time when advancement wasn't possible. Imagine being an 'untouchable' in India, sentenced to generation after generation of poverty with no chance of escape. Imagine real situations other human beings have experienced that are much worse than anything you've ever had to endure.
Try this technique and you'll recognize that in many ways you're lucky to be where you are and who you are. It's a good feeling. It's relaxing and peaceful. It won't last very long, but you can always do it again. The technique works every time.
In a way, it is a good thing the feeling doesn't last because as wonderful as contentment is, motivation is also wonderful. Striving for a goal - physical fitness, self-improvement, financial success, whatever - is practical and worthwhile also. But when you want to feel some contentment, take a little time and think about how your situation could be worse, or think about what [worse things] others have gone through, or think about how your situation used to be worse.
...
If you want to feel [gratitude, relief,] contentment and happiness, compare your present circumstances to something worse. It is simple, it works, and it will never wear out." - Adam KhanAuthor of the books, 'Self-Help Stuff That Works' and 'Antivirus For Your Mind' and creator of the blog: Moodraiser. [Refer http://www.youmeworks.com/comparison.html ]Author's Info on Wikipedia - Author on ebay - Author on Amazon - More Quotes by this AuthorStart Searching Amazon for GiftsSend as Free eCard with optional Google Image

[Quote No.61585] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "One way to change your perspective is to change what you're comparing your situation to. This is probably one of the easiest ways to change your mood quickly. For example, if you're feeling kind of grumbly about having to get up and go to work in the morning, if you gave it even ten seconds thought, you could find many things to compare it to that are much worse. You're not in prison. You're not in a concentration camp. You have enough to eat. You aren't worried about a tribe coming and chopping your arm off with a machete, etc.
You are already comparing your situation to something. Naturally and automatically, we usually compare our situation to something better. Although that's natural and automatic, we certainly aren't stuck with it. A little deliberate comparison can go a long way.
Think of something you are unhappy about. Now notice that the reason it makes you unhappy is that you are comparing it to something better. You're comparing your situation to something more ideal. But try this: Think of someone in this world who would take your situation over theirs in a heartbeat.
Whatever you are unhappy about, you can easily find a worse situation to compare it to. And from that perspective, you are lucky to have the problem you have, even though it is obviously not ideal. Who says the ideal is a legitimate thing to use as a comparison anyway? Something worse is at least as legitimate, and has a benefit too: You feel better.
This is how to feel grateful for what you have. Once you know how, it's very easy and works every time." - Adam KhanAuthor of the books, 'Self-Help Stuff That Works' and 'Antivirus For Your Mind' and creator of the blog: Moodraiser. [Refer http://www.moodraiser.com/2007/07/comparisons.html ]Author's Info on Wikipedia - Author on ebay - Author on Amazon - More Quotes by this AuthorStart Searching Amazon for GiftsSend as Free eCard with optional Google Image

[Quote No.61677] Need Area: Fun > Gratitude "Get High on Appreciating Life:
A person who has mastered the attribute of appreciating what he has, is constantly in a state of emotional high - just as someone who is inebriated during the height of a party!
Today is a wonderful day to increase appreciating all that you have [past, present and future]. If you can do this naturally and spontaneously, great. If you find that you need to make an effort to do this [for example comparing what you have with something worse and therefore feeling relief and gratitude], that's good, too. The important thing is to practice mastering this quality.
For 15 minutes, act as if you were extremely excited about all that you have. See how this effects you. You might like it so much that you will make this a daily practice!" - Rabbi Zelig PliskinQuote from his book, 'Consulting the Wise'.
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